Village Board to Consider Video Gambling Ordinance

trustees are expected Monday to adopt an ordinance that would allow limited use of video gambling machines at certain premises throughout the village.

Lemont Mayor Brian Reaves announced during the June 25 village board meeting that at least one local business had submitted an application to the Illinois Gaming Board for a video gambling license. The village was notified by a gaming official just three days prior to the meeting, he said.

Lemont, along with other Illinois communities, is able to move ahead with video gaming after the Illinois Gaming Board adopted rules for the operation and regulation of terminals under the Video Gaming Act of 2009. All municipalities have the option of prohibiting video gambling by either passing an ordinance or holding a referendum.

The village has never taken a formal vote on the issue, Reaves said.

"The only thing we have to decide is whether to allow or not allow (video gambling)," Reaves said. "I hate to throw this at you guys without warning, but it came up Friday and we need to know what direction to give counsel."

As of July 2, five Lemont establishments have applications pending for video gaming licenses, according to the Illinois Gaming Board: , , , and .

Village attorney Jeff Stein said the state has strict rules in place for businesses to qualify for the license. No licensed institution can have more than five video gambling machines, but in order to be considered a licensed institution the business must have a liquor license.

Stein said the establishment must have an area where only patrons 21 and older are allowed, and the games must be in plain view of the bartender.

Several trustees raised concerns about who would be responsible for enforcing state regulations for video gambling, particularly with underage patrons.

"It's all regulated by the state, so the owners of the establishments are the ones on the line," Reaves said. "They could lose their gaming license, and we could also work into our code a violation of their liquor license."

According to Stein, the village stands to generate a moderate amount of revenue from the video gaming terminals. Communities that allow video gaming can charge an annual fee of $25 per machine.

The state takes 30 percent of each terminal's income, but one-sixth of the revenue goes directly back to the municipality, Stein said.

In a straw poll at the end of the discussion, all six trustees said they were against banning video gambling in Lemont, so long as the regulations are in place and enforced by the state.

"We shouldn't be involved in anyone's business decisions," Trustee Paul Chialdikas said.

"Less government is more," Trustee Jeanette Virgilio added.

Reaves echoed the trustees' statements.

"I don't want to be in anyone's business. If you want to video gamble and have a beer, it's not my business. It's your business," he said.

The ordinance would amend the Village Municipal Code to clarify that video gaming is authorized within village limits and mirror language in statewide regulations, according to the meeting agenda.

Since it was adopted in July 2009, about 300 Illinois municipalities have opted out of the state's Video Gaming Act. Homer Glen, Lockport, Bolingbrook, Woodridge, Orland Park and Palos Heights are among the nearby towns that have bans in place.

The Lemont Village Board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the , 14600 127th St. For more information, visit www.lemont.il.us.

Do you think video gaming has a place in Lemont? Tell us in the comments.

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